1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to supporting elements for lattice structures of the type comprising securement means adapted to receive spaced elongated components of the structure to be supported. Such lattice structures are of all types, such as welded or otherwise assembled elongated elements of the wire or rod type for use as cable trays and industrial equipment, in partitions, for the building industry, inter alia.
Depending on the use, the carrier surfaces of such lattice structures can have various orientations and require suitable securement means adapted for more or less complicated constructions and/or uses; it may also involve securement, on wall brackets, hangers, suspensions, members and the like.
2. Summary of the Invention
The present invention provides in this context a supporting element adapted to the most diverse uses and configurations with great facility of use.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a section in the form of a channel with notches for securement with cut outs on opposite sides along the edges of the end wall thereof, tongues from end wall overlying the notches and extending along a fraction of the length thereof.
The notches thus defined and surmounted by the tongues cut out from the end wall surface of the profile, constitute recesses suitable, owing to their dimensions and their spacing, for receiving longitudinally-extending components, wires or rods, of the lattice structure to be supported.
For vertical orientation the lattice structure, it can simply bear under the force of gravity in the recesses of the supporting element. In any event, the securement of the lattice structure in the notches can be ensured by merely bending the tongues against the components received in the recesses.
According to a preferred arrangement of the invention, the channel-shaped profiles are arranged in pairs along the wings of a generally omega shape.
There is thus provided a structural element offering remarkable performance as regards mechanical strength in beams.
The structural section or profile can preferably be bent once or twice for the formation a bracket or of a suspension element, securement perforations being provided for the mounting on a vertical or horizontal wall, the arrangement of the supporting notches being in this case provided in a portion or portions of the structural section or profile.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a pair of two structural sections or profiles of omega shape, assembled back-to-back thereby to form a structural element which is even stronger, for use as a beam or a post with the possibility of access on four sides. In this case the structural section or profile need not comprise notches and tongues over its entire extent and may in fact be eliminated.